When electricians, plumbers and the like come to do a job, they generally turn off the power source so that they don’t get electrocuted or wet. This is completely reasonable, but make sure you know when this is happening, otherwise things can get kind of sticky – literally, as when I came home from a 15 mile bike ride and realized the water had been turned off without anyone informing me. Not cool, if you know what I mean. Then there was the time when, on my one day off, with the house to myself and big plans to stock my freezer with frozen meals and get some work done on the computer, the electrician told me I wouldn’t have power for the rest of the day. I had to beg and plead with my contractor before he gave me an early birthday present and conceded to rescheduling the electrician.

Once the job is done, usually for thousands of dollars more than you intended, do not think the workers will clean up after themselves. They will not. You can either hire some cleaning help to clear all the thick and completely invasive dust, or (my method) do it yourself, by taking a few days to wipe and mop, getting in a good workout and early Pesach cleaning simultaneously, while enjoying the thrill of your house getting put back together step by step.

If, despite your very best efforts, the molding is still not perfect and the hinge is still on backwards, remember; it is not the end of the world. You can always fix it, or, as that is not very likely, chalk it up to a zeicher l’Churban, the space we are supposed to keep unfinished as a remembrance of the destruction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Because, at the end of the day, it’s not the outside of the house that makes the home, but what’s inside.

About the Author:Pnina Baim holds a B.S. in Health and Nutrition from Brooklyn College and an MS.edu from Yeshiva University’s Azrieli Program. She works as a nutritionist, a certified lactation consultant, a home organizer, and in her free time writes as much as possible. She is the author of the Young Adult novels, Choices, A Life Worth Living (featured on Dansdeals and Jew In The City) and a how-to book for the Orthodox homemaker, Sing While You Work. The books are available at amazon.com. Pnina is available for speaking engagements and personal consulting. Contact her at pninabaim@gmail.com.

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